Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis - The Breakdown

There are many layers to the landmark video game phenomenon that was the Final Fantasy VII Remake, the multi-part reimagining of Square Enix’s 1997 classic. The Remake project introduced an eager fanbase to some ground-breaking new improvements and upgrades to the timeless formula established by its predecessor, including a brand new combat system, mind-blowing next-gen graphics and some subtle (and some not so subtle) additions to the original game’s narrative.

Though a considerable number of the game’s fanbase took to the these flashy redesigns and modernisations exceedingly well, others were somewhat perturbed by the limitations imposed by the game’s scope, namely the minimal coverage of the overall story we remember so fondly. Square Enix have opted for a multi-part campaign to incorporate the whole of Final Fantasy VII’s story into the game’s new iteration, and this certainly rubbed some people the wrong way. But now, with the imminent release of an upcoming mobile gacha game set in the Final Fantasy VII universe, Square Enix have revealed that they may well have anticipated the less impressed amongst the fanbase after all.

What Is Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis?

Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis is an all-encompassing mobile adventure that aims to explore the most important chapters throughout the entirety of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. The game will feature a curious combination of different visual and gameplay styles ranging from the intense visuals of the Remake to more minimalist chibi-style graphics. The game itself will take the form of a gacha game, a popular video game format for mobile platforms. Something akin to lootboxes, gacha games provide the basic levels of gameplay for free whilst making additional, non-essential content like weapons and outfits available by ‘rolling’ for items using in-game cash. Gacha mechanics do involve real-world money in the form of optional microtransactions, but we'll get to that later.

As for the game's narrative, Ever Crisis will be a 'best bits' summary of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, the collective term for the Final Fantasy VII universe. The Final Fantasy VII saga has become a rather convoluted ensemble of games, books and even an animated movie since the original release in 1997, and as we wait for the next instalment of the Remake project, Ever Crisis will be a fantastic opportunity for veterans and newcomers alike to recap on the story so far without having to go rifling through flea markets for rare collector’s items. Ever Crisis will approach every major entry to the series so far, specifically:

- Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII

An extremely rare mobile prequel to Final Fantasy VII that was only ever released in Japan. Before Crisis was a surprisingly pretty side-scroller that put the player in the smart shoes and tie of an unnamed Turk, a member of Shinra’s elite faction of special agents. Before Crisis was the first time players could create a custom character to contribute to the FFVII lore in their own personalised way, exploring the origins of several prominent characters and discovering a rather harrowing past for the elusive eco-terrorist organisation, AVALANCHE. Long since decommissioned by Square Enix, this will be the first ever official English localisation of Before Crisis, and for the many fans who weren’t lucky enough to have the exact model of mobile phone in 2004, Ever Crisis be the first ever opportunity to play it for themselves.

- Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

The beloved and critically acclaimed prequel to the main game, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is a cherished soft spot for many fans. The original Final Fantasy VII didn’t have much room for Cloud’s old buddy-turned-mentor and predecessor, but Crisis Core gave Zack Fair a lovable personality and a heartbreaking backstory that has since come to represent the franchise almost as much as the main game itself. A very stylish and unique action game with a dramatic, over-the-top narrative, Crisis Core was released exclusively on the PSP and hasn’t been seen since. But with the arrival of Ever Crisis, we’ll see Zack earning his wings all over again with all-new visuals and combat mechanics.

- Final Fantasy VII itself

Final Fantasy VII Remake went to some incredible lengths to accommodate as much of the original game’s story as the technology could allow, but even so, it covers only a small portion of the overall narrative picture. With Ever Crisis though, Cloud and Co’s most significant episodes of their original 1997 outing will be thoroughly explored and expanded upon. This portion of the game at least will see a return to the semi-turn-based Active Time Battle system seen in the earlier instalments of the Final Fantasy franchise, including of course the original Final Fantasy VII. Exactly which parts of the original story will be included is yet to be confirmed, but we can be fairly certain we'll be made to relive a famous death scene that once made the gaming world weep.

- Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

The in-house Final Fantasy VII movie was a bold and unexpected move by series director Tetsuya Nomura, but in his boldness he facilitated the creation of some of the most stylish leather-clad outfits since Keanu Reeves first jacked into The Matrix. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children was a visually stunning animated movie set two years after the conclusion of the main game, descending upon the series with some very melancholic subject matters as the world is plagued once again by a mad, silver-haired bad guy with mummy issues. The film served as the first ever continuation of the Final Fantasy VII story; needless to say, it was a big deal at the time, and Ever Crisis promises to provide players with the first ever playable version of it.

- Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII

The more controversial addition to the compilation, Dirge of Cerberus was a big departure from the Final Fantasy VII experience we’d become so familiar with. With fast-paced shoot 'em up gameplay and an entirely isolated militaristic storyline concerning gothic, gun-toting pseudo-vampire Vincent Valentine, fans were heavily divided when the game dropped in 2006. Regardless of its reception, the game provided a sequel to Advent Children, putting Vincent in the spotlight to follow his fight against the remnants of the Shinra Corporation and its sinister Deepground division. However you look at it, Dirge of Cerberus at least established some interesting new avenues of development for characters both old and new, some of which were actually pretty cool. How exactly Ever Crisis will approach the distinctly different gameplay of Dirge of Cerberus will be an interesting question to answer, but however they choose to portray it, Ever Crisis will explore the game’s story as a firmly embedded addition to the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII.

The size and scope of each of the game's episodic chapters is reportedly quite expansive, with the main game's story told in its entirety across 10 independent chapters. On top of that, whilst the main instalments to the Final Fantasy VII universe will take centre stage for Ever Crisis, it’s been confirmed that the game will also incorporate narrative elements from the more subtle spin-offs including The First Soldier and On the Way to a Smile. Exactly how prominent these little additions will be, however, we can only guess; it would certainly melt my heart watching Red XIII raise a pair of fluffy bear cubs in the woods in some sort of adorable mini-game.

How will it be different from the Remake?

Fans who’ve played the Remake will know that there are some quite significant departures from the original game’s story. Even though none of the main events themselves are altered in any major way, additional plot points and elements are added to accommodate whatever crazy plans Square Enix have for the Remake project going forward. With this in mind, a looming question presents itself: will Ever Crisis follow the events of the Remake, or the original game? Director Tetsuya Nomura himself referred to the game as an “alternative” remake of the entire Final Fantasy VII saga, which would imply that, whilst it may vary slightly from the original story, it'll nevertheless exist separately from the Remake. Considering Ever Crisis and the Remake project are being developed at the same time, it sounds a lot like Ever Crisis will in fact be an abridged version of the original Final Fantasy VII’s narrative.

But even so, change could be a blessing. With the revisiting of the entire narrative comes the opportunity for the story to fill in some plot holes and implement some of the big retcons that have popped up over the last quarter of a century. We've already seen the notorious antagonists of Dirge of Cerberus making a surprise appearance in Final Fantasy VII Remake's more recent PS5 exclusive DLC, Intergrade. Square Enix could seize the opportunity to expand on some under-addressed plot points and characters, such as Deneh, Red XIII's little-known female counterpart who featured in Before Crisis only to be unceremoniously forgotten by literally everyone and never mentioned again.

Additionally, the trailers and footage we’ve seen so far have shown some subtle rearrangements, producing some scenarios that aren’t possible in the game’s canon such as summons and characters taking part in the game’s first boss fight that weren’t yet part of the story. This is more likely an indication that the game is a little playful in how it handles its continuity, rather than a sign of any actual changes to the story; it may simply be that Ever Crisis will provide the player with some degree of freedom from the restrictions of the narrative, allowing them to explore scenarios that couldn’t happen otherwise.

Is Ever Crisis free-to-play?

Ah, a complicated question. The essential parts of Ever Crisis will be available for free from the off; the main app, as well as each additional episode, will be downloadable and playable at no cost as and when they release. Like all gacha games though, bonus content will be available to players with enough in-game money to ‘roll’ for it, winning items based on a gamble of chance. Whether or not this digital currency will be available through gameplay or if it will be exclusively for paying customers isn’t yet clear, but we can be sure that in-game purchases will be a relatively big focus for those willing to part with a few pennies. Even if you aren’t, fear not - you’ll be free to enjoy the game’s epic stories as they were intended at no extra cost.

When and how will I get to play Ever Crisis?

‘When’ is another interesting question. Technically speaking, the game is expected to release sometime in September, but only a portion of it. The game will release episodically, with new chapters releasing in the days, weeks and months following its release. We know that the game’s episodes will release chronologically in the order events occurred within the game’s narrative timeline, logically starting with Before Crisis. Frustrating as some may find the inevitable waiting for more content to drop, it’ll certainly be a great way to experience the whole story in a concise ‘best of’ collection. Again, some of these games are increasingly rare, or even straight-up inaccessible; despite the occasional interval, this will be the first time players will be able to enjoy the entirety of the Final Fantasy VII saga in such a consistent format from start to finish.

Having said that, the game will follow prominent trends in the Japanese gaming market - specifically the ones that reflect how much they love playing games on their phones. We won't see Ever Crisis on consoles. Instead, it’ll be exclusively playable on iOS or Android devices for the foreseeable future. But considering that gacha games are extremely dependable and have been known to virtually print money for developers, Ever Crisis may well be the start of a series of episodic mobile remakes of other Final Fantasy entries. Final Fantasy XV has already seen similar treatment with its own Pocket Edition, and if Ever Crisis does even half as well as some, we may one day return to other beloved entries to the Final Fantasy franchise in the same way.

Got some thoughts on Ever Crisis, or other games that deserve the 'Ever Crisis' treatment? Drop a line in the comments below!